MAN marine · Independent specialists · Melbourne
MAN marine service, brought to your berth.
V8s, V12s, inline-sixes and the older MAN diesels before them, in motor yachts and working boats. Serviced by independent specialists, working from MAN’s maintenance schedule, with a clear rundown of what’s urgent and what can wait.
- Independent MAN specialists
- Servicing Melbourne boats since 1995
- At your berth across Port Phillip Bay
- Twin Disc dealer & ZF Service Point
Your setup
Which MAN setup do you have?
MAN marine engines work in big motor yachts and in ferries, charter and work boats, usually on shafts through a marine gearbox. Pick the one closest to your boat, or see what we look after behind the engine.
On a motor yacht, MAN usually means a pair of V8s or V12s on shafts, as in Riviera’s 64, 68 and 72 Sports Motor Yachts. MAN rates its yacht engines for up to 1,000 hours a year, with no more than a fifth of that time at full load. We service the engines and their sea water side together.
- Engine oil and filters
- Fuel pre-filters, water drained
- Seawater pump check
- Charge-air cooler and heat exchanger checks
- Coolant level and condition
- Air filters
- V-ribbed belt check
- Engine mounts and coupling check
Twin installations
Twin MANs, one visit.
MAN V8s and V12s usually come in pairs, as in Riviera’s 64, 68 and 72 Sports Motor Yachts. We service both engines and both gearboxes in the same visit, so the pair stays on one schedule.
- Both engines and both gearboxes serviced in one visit, at your berth where possible
- Side-by-side checks, so a difference between engines shows up early
- A separate record for each engine, the history buyers and surveyors ask to see
- Haul-out work planned with your yard
What you get
You’ll know exactly where your engines stand.
Every service ends with a plain-English rundown. Each item is marked done, keep an eye on, or needs attention, so you can see what’s urgent and what can wait. Anything beyond the service is quoted first.
- A separate record for each engine and gearbox
- Kept for your survey, insurance and resale history
- What’s due next, so you can plan around the season
Under factory warranty?
If your MAN is still under its factory warranty, check the terms for what they say about servicing, parts and records, and tell us when you book. If the terms send any work to an authorised MAN service partner, we’ll tell you which items before we start. MAN’s operating instructions reserve the main fuel filter change for an appointed MAN service centre. Either way, we record every visit. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply in addition to these terms.
Service rundown
Twin V12-1550 · Shaft drive · 1,100 hours
- Done
Engine oil and filters
- Done
Fuel pre-filters
Drained. No water found.
- Done
Air filters
Clean and undamaged.
- Done
Coolant level and condition
- Needs attention
Seawater pumps
Weep at the port pump’s telltale hole, a sign the seal is wearing. Quoted to reseal.
- Done
V-ribbed belts
Checked. Good condition.
- Done
Gearbox oil
Clean, no sign of water.
- Needs attention
Starboard charge-air cooler
Fouled, charge-air running warm. Quoted to clean and pressure-test.
Something not right?
Signs your MAN wants attention.
Many problems give a warning first. If you’ve noticed one of these, it’s worth a look before it turns into a lost weekend, or a lost day’s work.
Running hot
MAN’s troubleshooting starts with low coolant, air in the cooling circuit and leaking or blocked coolant pipes. On a well-used engine, hot at cruise but fine at idle commonly points to the sea water side: a fouled heat exchanger or cooler, a blocked strainer or a tired pump.
A charge-air temperature alarm
On MAN’s common-rail V8 and V12 the charge-air cooler is cooled by sea water, and MAN links a leaking or fouled charge-air system to lost power and black smoke. A fouled or corroded cooler is a common culprit.
Won’t reach full rpm
MAN’s list starts with the fuel: air in the system, a clogged pre-filter, condensation or poor fuel, then a blocked air filter. For low power it also lists asking more of the engine than it can give, which is where a fouled hull or propeller comes in.
Smoke you haven’t seen before
MAN links black smoke with lost power to air or fuel problems, a fouled charge-air system or the turbo. Blue smoke can mean too much oil, worn rings or long running at low load. White smoke can mean a cold engine, poor fuel or coolant getting into a cylinder.
Hard starting or a rough idle
MAN’s list includes air in the fuel, a clogged pre-filter and flat batteries. On higher-hours engines, injectors are a known service item, especially where fuel quality has been poor.
A drip from the seawater pump
A drip from the pump’s telltale hole usually means a shaft seal is wearing. It’s a routine wear item, but left alone it can let sea water reach places it shouldn’t.
Timing
Book around the boating season.
A little planning means the boat is ready on the first good weekend, not the third.
78%
of maritime incidents reported in Victoria in 2024–25 were vessel breakdowns, most of them engine failure or running out of fuel.
Source: Safe Transport VictoriaAugust to October
Pre-season service
Book before the rush. November to Easter is our busiest period, so a service in late winter or early spring has the boat ready for the first good weekend.
Book a pre-season serviceNovember to Easter
On the water
Peak boating, and our busiest months. If an alarm won’t clear or something doesn’t feel right mid-season, call us.
Easter to July
Bigger jobs
The best time for higher-hour services, charge-air cooler work, gearbox work and haul-outs, with the least boating missed.
Who you're dealing with
Independent MAN specialists, looking after Melbourne boats since 1995.
We’re not a MAN dealer. We’re an independent marine workshop that services and repairs MAN engines at your berth or in our Spotswood workshop, with genuine or quality aftermarket parts.
- Independent, not a MAN dealer
- Genuine or quality aftermarket parts
- Authorised Twin Disc dealer and ZF Marine Service Point
- Also authorised for Volvo Penta and Yanmar
MAN marine engines we service, old and new
Check the type code on the engine plate as well as the rating. In D2868 LE436, the 8 is the cylinder count and LE marks a turbocharged, intercooled marine engine. MAN’s common-rail V8 and V12 arrived around 2008 to 2009, and the same LE number can mean a different rating on a V8 and a V12, so send us the full code and serial number when you book.
MAN engines are fitted, as standard or as an option, to boats like the Riviera 64, 68 and 72 Sports Motor Yachts, the Riviera 645 SUV and the Riviera 78 Motor Yacht. Ratings vary by year and some hulls had other engines, so check the engine plate.
Questions
What MAN owners ask us
How much does a MAN service cost?
It depends on the engine, whether you have one or two, and what’s due on its schedule. We confirm all of that and give you a clear quote before any work starts.
Are you a MAN dealer?
No. We’re an independent marine workshop. We service and repair MAN engines with genuine or quality aftermarket parts, and we’re an authorised Volvo Penta, Yanmar and Twin Disc dealer, and a ZF Marine Service Point.
Do I need to bring the boat to you?
No. We service MAN engines at the berth or on the hardstand around Port Phillip Bay. Bigger jobs come into our Spotswood workshop or are done during a haul-out.
How often does a MAN need servicing?
MAN’s yacht ratings assume up to 1,000 hours a year, with an oil change at least every 400 hours. The full schedule for your engine is in MAN’s maintenance instructions and service record book, which sit alongside the operating manual. MAN’s operating instructions reserve the main fuel filter change for an appointed MAN service centre, so we look after the fuel pre-filters and water separators and tell you when the main filter is due. We record every visit.
Which MAN do I have?
The engine plate carries a type code like D2868 LE436 or D2862 LE463. The same LE number can mean different ratings on a V8 and a V12, so send us the full code and serial number when you book. Older boats may have an earlier D2848, D2840 or D2842 V engine, or a D2876 inline-six.
I have twin MANs. Can you do both at once?
Yes. We service both engines and both gearboxes in the same visit and keep a separate record for each, so the pair stays on one schedule.
How do I book?
Use the booking form at the top of this page or call (03) 9399 5888. We aim to reply within 1 business day.
Ready when the weather is.
Tell us about your MAN and where the boat is, and we’ll take it from there.
Mariner Engineering is an independent marine service and repair provider and is not an authorised dealer of, or affiliated with, MAN. MAN and associated model names are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to describe the engines we service.